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Iuratus
Iuratus is a tradition of action, of travel, and of individual achievement. They are a nomadic people by nature, even by the standards of the times the Travelers come from, who are always journeying from on place to another, in search of a new challenge and a new adventure. History The concept of Iuratus can trace its roots to the murky period in history known as the Aevum Purgans. As governments and the powers that be became less and less focused on representing the interests of their people, people all over the world began wondering just how to make their voices heard. In Germany and Eastern Europe, there was was a resurgance in Transcendetalism, particularly the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The corrupting and dehumanizing society being warped by the Revisionist Movement failed primarily because it implicitly rejected the concept of absolute truths. Iuratus, by contrast, held that one of the cores of the human experience was the search for truth, particularly personal truth. The leading thinkers of the Iuratus movement wrote and spoke extensively on getting back to nature. One of the earliest writings on Iuratus instructed readers, "Politicians lie. Newsmen lie. Judges lie. Nature speaks the truth. You need only learn to listen." People began to embrace the Iuratus movement, and they were strongly enabled by the growing mobilization of technology. Greater thinkers could journey off into the woods and still record their thoughts and share them with thousands of others who subscribed to their philosophy. Gun and firearm laws being strict in much of Europe, the people of Iuratus instead turned to simpler weapons, like bows and swords. There was a resurgance in popularity in European swordplay, and the people of the Iuratus movement began to take time to practice with one another. This apsect of the movement was particularly popular amongst people with human+ abilities, who sought a modicum of peace in their frequent battles. The movement faced difficulty early as debate sharpened over whether or not the movement should embrace swordplay and combat or retain the nonviolence expoused by its earliest thinkers. The issue came to a head during a joust in the mid-2100s in Odsea. While safety precautions were taken, there were numerous injuries in the swordplay, and even a few fatalities. Some in the Iuratus movement said that the jousts were brutal and went against the simple truths that the movement sought. Their opponents countered that combat was simply another way to know one's self and one's opponent, and even death could offer its own sort of truth. The debate lasted weeks, and in the end, the movement agreed to the Declarationem Unificationis, which embraced "Pacem per Gladus" (Peace by the Sword). While the idea of combat for the sake of combat was unpopular, it was generally agreed that there is honor in fighting for the rights of others. Soon, the sword became a popular icon across Europe. The Iuratus movement grew in popularity, encouraging people to take up the sword and travel, not necessarily to use the sword, but to display it as a symbol of hope and of truth to those they encountered. The sword became a common weapon of choice for many with human+ abilities in particular, who were already more than a match for foes armed with firearms. Many of Iuratus took up their swords to join the Titanic Revolution and to fight against the lies and injustice of the Revisionist Movement. Iuratus and Inrota During the Rise of the Antediluvians, the Phoenix became a very prominent being, particularly among the people of Iuratus. The Antediluvian claimed to be of Iuratus itself, and indeed many of its teachings resonated strongly with the traditions of Iuratus. The difference was primarily in the rejection of the Judeo-Christian religious institutions, which were still at the heart of Iuratus morality. Rather, the Phoenix embraced a more Eastern view of reincarnation and spiritualism, that a person lives on through his or her deeds, and would be born again and again into a world that he or she helped shape in prior lives. The Phoenix had met many people who so resembled their ancestors that it was uncanny, and the powerful Antediluvian would compliment them that they had "their ancestors' souls". Thus Inrota faith began. Inrota holds that all people live on a wheel, with half of the wheel in life and half in death. They live to walk the road the wheel rolls down, as part of their journey and destiny, and to earn honor and glory. After their death, they spend a time in shadow, resting, until their names or deeds are forgotten, and they can be born again to reclaim their honor all over. This faith would be embraced by many of the Iuratus, and would form the core of the Phoenix Knights.